Pneumatic fuel-feeding apparatus for straw



(No Model.) 4 sheets-sheet, 1'.

B. JACKSON. PNBUMATIC FUEL FEBDING APPARATUS PoR STRAW.

No. 479,644. Patenvted'July 26, 1892.

i A I l E I a "Ima s (No Model.) 4 Sheets- Sheet Y 2.

B. JACKSON. PNBUMATIG .FUEL FEBDING APPARATUS PoR sTRAW.

No. 479,644. l Patented July 26, 1892.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets- Sheet 3.

B. J ACKSON'. PNBUMATIG FUEL FEBDING APPARATUS PoR STRAW.

No. 479,644. Patented July 26, 1892.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets- Sheet 4. B. JACKSON. PNEUMATIG FUEL FEBDING APPARATUS' FOR STRAW. No. 479,644.

Patented July 26, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BYRON JACKSON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

PNEUMATIC FUEL-FEEDINQ APPARATUS FOR STRAW.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 479,644, dated July 26, 1892.

Application iled February 18, 1892. Serial No. 422,025. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, BYRON JACKSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Fuel- Feeding Apparatus for Straw; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates especially to steam traction-engines employed for plowing and harvesting, excavating, and grading on farms where it is desirable to use for fuel the straw and other waste products and it consists in apparatus to feed and convey straw or other similar fuel through a pipe by means of an air-current and discharge it directly into the closed furnace of a boiler, and in the case of combined harvesters and thrashing-machines to convey straw or chaff directly from the thrashing-m achine to the boiler-furnace; also, apparatus to automatically feed the straw into the suction-pipe of a fan-blower that forces the fuel to the furnace of the boiler, and, further, an improved hinged baffie-plate placed in the furnace to facilitate combustion, and other connected devices that will be more particularly pointed out in connection with the drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation, partly broken away, of the fan-blower and feeding apparatus thereto. same with a driving-engine attached and the hinged feed-apron removed. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a harvesting and thrashing machine, showing theapplication of my fuelfeeding and conveying apparatus, also the conducting-pipe to convey straw-fuel to the furnace of a boiler. Fig. 4t is a plan view of Fig. 3. Figs. 5 and 6 are side and sectional views of the fan-blower employed to forcethe fuel through the conducting-pipe. Fig. '7 is a side elevation of traction-engine, showing my fuel-conveying apparatus mounted thereon. Fig. 8 is a rear View of the engine. Fig. 9 is a plan of the same. Fig. lO is a side elevation of hinged baffle-plate employed in the boiler-furnace, the side of the furnace being broken away to show the same. Fig. l1 is a Fig. 2 is a front elevation of thel self to the feeding, conveyance, and combustion of fuel.

Straw as it comes from a thrashing-machine or from stacks or bales is usually too long and stiff or matted together in bunches to be conveniently fed and conveyed by air in a pipe without chokingfand it is necessary to cut such fuel into lengths less than the diameter of the conveying-pipe. It is also desirable to operate the fuel feeding and conveying apparatusindependently of the other machinery. I therefore construct such apparatus complete in one machine with an independent engine to drive the same, so that the apparatus can be attached to any convenient part of a traction-engine or a carriage of any kind drawn or propelled by it, providing in either case a receptacle to hold a supply of straw or other light fuel that is suitable to be conveyed in an air-pipe.

The fan-blower employed in this apparatus is constructed with a solid disk 28, Figs. 5 and 6, extending from the hub to the periphery, and wings 27, riveted to or cast on this disk, leaving no projection for straT to Wind about and thus choke the fan. The fan 29 is in most other respects the same as a single-inlet exhaust-fan for conveying shavings in Wood sawing and planing mills.

The cutting apparat-us 4.9 (shown in Figs. l and 2) is of the usual kind for chopping straw, with the addition of the feeding-aprons 3l and 32 to automatically keep a regular and constant supply to the blast-pipe 30.

The chute 50 conveys the cut straw from the cutter 4.9 to the mouth of the blast-pipe 30. This chute 50 is hinged and controlled by the lever 5l, and in conjunction with a windgate 36, controlled by the lever 35, regulates IOO v3l and 32 receive their motion from the cutter-shaft 49 by a train of spur-gears, thus combining in one self-contained Vmachine a fuel preparing, feeding,and conveying apparatus that can be attached to a traction-engine or a carriage drawn by it.

Then this apparatus is applied to carriages drawn behind the traction-engine-a harvesting and thrashing machine, for example, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4-itis attached to the rear end of the same within convenient reach of the straw receptacle or dump,7 as it is called. This dump-box 35 is balanced on hinges and receives the straw and chaff as they are discharged from the thrashing-machine, from which the fuel required for the furnace of the traction-engine is taken and conveyed by the feeding apparatus, fanblower, and cond ucting-pipe to the furnace of the boiler, thus making it automatic and regular and at the same time safe from fire.

The surplus straw from the thrashing-ma- A chine when it fills the dump-box 35 is discharged in the field and may afterward be used for fuel in plowing and cultivating the same land.

When the receptacle for fuel is on the traction-engine, it may be placed at the side, as shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9, and the feeding apparatus may be placed in front or other convenient position, as the ,conducting-pipe will convey the straw from any position on the engine to the furnace of the boiler as readily as if placed in the position shown. It is often desirable to put the weight of the fuel and receptacle on the front end of a tractionengine to hold it down when ascending grades or pulling heavy loads, besides in the case of using straw for fuel the size of the receptacle at the rear of the traction-engine may be an obstruction in coupling to other vehicles or in turning corners.

It will be understood that in the method of conveying fuel as herein described the fuel is burned in suspension without grates and without a supply of air other than that by which the fuel is conveyed. Herein, as an essential part of my invention, I employ in the furnace or combustion-chamber of the steamboiler, hinged baffling-plates, to prevent the floating fuel from entering and choking the flues of the boiler. As these baffling-plates have to be frequently opened for the purpose of inspecting and cleaning the boiler-fines, they are constructed with an automatic latching and unlatching device, as shown in Figs. 10, 11, and l2 of the drawings. These plates 60 are attached to the circulating-pipes 6l by thehinges 62 and are held closed by their weight acting on the latch 63. These baffleplates 60 are both cast from one pattern and may be hinged with either of their sides to the front, or either end can be placed upward, so that in case they are warped by the heat the other side or end can be exposed to the greatest heat, and thus warped back again until the plate is burned up, when it can be cheapl and easily replaced with a new one. The hinges 62 are also uniform and in two parts fitted to the plate, forming a hinge about the pipe 6l, one-half being bolted on each side the plate and pipe with a single bolt. The latch 63 is bolted to either plate and one hooks over the other, as shown in Fig. l2, the Weight of the plates holding them latched. To unlatch and open the plates, the fireman presses the lire-poker against the plate having no latch, swinging them both together until the latch is released from the hook, when both plates fall open. The plates are closed by pressing against the one to which the latch is attached. This cast-iron bafe-plate is simply constructed and easily opened and closed while hot, a desirable element in burning fuel in suspension and as fed to the steam-boiler by my conveying apparatus, hereinbefore described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a fuel feeding and conveying appa- .ratus as herein described, a traction-engine, and afan-blower mounted thereon or upon a vehicle drawn thereby, connected to the furnace of the steam-boiler by suitable pipes or conductors and having an inlet, with apparatus for feeding light fuel that can be thus conveyed and supplied to the boiler in quantities as the amount of steam may require, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

2. In a fuel feeding and conveying apparatus as herein described, a traction-engine, a fan-blower mounted thereon or on avehicle drawn thereby, a conducting-pipe connecting the fan-blower with the boiler-furnace, and an inlet-pipe provided with cutting appliances to reduce fibrous fuel to short lengths, so that it may pass the suction and discharge pipes of the fan-blower without clogging the same, in the manner and for the purpose described.

3. In a fuel feeding and conveying apparatus as herein described, a traction-engine, a fan-blower mounted thereon or upon a vehicle drawn behind, a conducting-pipe connecting to the boiler-furnace, a suction-pipe to receive fibrous material, a cutting apparatus to reduce the same, and a rotating endless belt in combination therewith to concentrate and feed the fuel to the cutting apparatus and the suction-pipe of the fan-blower, substantially in the manner and for the purposes described.

4. In a fuel feeding and conveying apparatus as herein described, a traction-engine, a fan-blower mounted thereon or upon a vehicle drawn thereby, a suction-pipe provided with apparatus to cut and reduce the fuel so that it will pass through the pipes, and a dis- IOO IIO

charge pipe leading to and connected with a closed furnace having no other air-supply than that by which the fuel is conveyed, so that the latter is burned in suspension and the amount of heat and steam is continually as the amount of air and fuel entering together at the suction-pipe, substantially in the manner a'nd for the purposes described.

5. In a fuel feeding and conveying apparatus as herein described, a traction-engine, a fan-blower mounted thereon'or on a vehicle drawn thereby, asuction-pipewith appliances for preparing and feeding fuel thereto, and a discharge-pipe leading from the fan-blower Vto a closed boiler-furnace provided With hinged baffling-plates to prevent the fuel while suspended in the air from enteringY the boilerflues, substantially in the manner and for the purposes described.

6. ln a fuel feeding and conveying` apparatus as herein described, a traction-engine, a fan-blower mounted thereon or on a Vehicle drawn thereby, a Asuction-pipe having apparatus to prepare and feed straw or other light fuel thereto, a discharge-pipe for conducting the fuel to the boiler-furnaces, and hinged bafiiing-plates to prevent the fuel from clogging the ues, the plates hung in an inclined position and provided with an automatic latch, substantially in the manner and for the purposes described.

7. In a fuel feeding and conveying apparatus as herein described, a traction-engine, a fan-blower mounted thereon or on a Vehicle drawn thereby, a conducting-pipe for conveying straw or other light fuel to the boiler-furnace from a fan-blower, and cutting and feeding apparatus, the whole operated byasteamcylinderconnected and driven, as herein de scribed,so that the furnace can be supplied With fuel and 'air When the traction-engine is standing still,substantially in the manner and for the purposes described.

8. na fuel feeding'and conveying apparatus as herein described, a traction-engine, a fan-blower mounted thereon or upon a ve-y hicle drawn thereby, a conducting-pipe for conveying straw or other lightfuel to the boiler-furnace from afan-blower, cutting and feeding apparatus,'and the hinged chute 50,

' conducting the cut fuel from the knife to the suction-pipe, but easily swung back on the hinges, letting the straw dropout of the mouth of the suction-pipe in case ity should become choked, substantially in the manner and for the purposes described.

V9. In a fuel feeding and conveying apparatus as herein described, a traction-engine, with a fan-blower mounted thereon Yor on a vVehicle drawn thereby, a conducting-pipe for 

